Is this a good pontoon package

Albubba

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Jan 24, 2017
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Yesterday we went to the boat and fishing show at the Nashville fairgrounds. We have a Triumph 17' center console with a 60hp Evinrude etech. We have been thinking about trading for a pontoon for a couple years. The thing we don't like about the Triumph is it is a little narrow for being a deeper V and rocks if someone moves quick. It also doesn't have a lot room in it. We cruise short distances and fish a lot. most of the hours on the triumph is using the trolling motor and drifting.
The Evinrude only has about 30 hours on it and it is a 2008. We found a Bentley 204 4 Point model with a 50hp 4 stroke mercury. The boat is 20'. The price is marked down from 25000 to 19995 for a show special. We love the lay out and some of the features on the boat. The sales people are interested taking our boat on trade. We think this would work good for what we would be doing ( fishing and short cruising). Most of our boating would be done on the Tennessee River and Smaller lakes in North Alabama and southern Tennessee. I see a lot of outfits like this on the water and just want to see what other people think.
 

alldodge

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Not a Toon guy but have ridden many, and I would say you won't like the 50HP motor, your going to need more. As for the price, go see some other dealers. Buddy just bought a new one last year and he drove within a 100 mile radius and found what he was looking for at his price by doing so. Look at the other manufactures as well
 

Albubba

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Thanks for the response. We have been to this show and one other. They are good places to compare boats and prices. I know this is under powered but I am not sure going bigger would fit the budget. I think we are going to get our boat cleaned up a little and go see what they will do next Saturday. I am planning on seeing what it would cost to up grade the motor. I think it would do for what we doing with the boat but I agree that a little bigger engine would be better.
 

ahicks

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Sep 16, 2013
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Consider that suggested engine sizes, with no more info than you've given, might be pretty subjective. Our boats (several over the last 40 years) have always been equipped with 40-50 hp, and we've trailered them all over the place (from the Gulf of Mexico to the northern Great Lakes) for cruising purposes. Now, if you plan on pulling anything (including kids on tubes) your HP needs are going to jump to 90+hp. Anything less will be a big disappointment.

The 20' boat with a 4 stroke sounds like a blast to me....

Another consideration might be the fact pulling a 'toon is much like pulling a big parachute. It's going to require way more tow vehicle than a 17.5' CC, and will be tougher to maneuver/load/retrieve as well.
 

Silvertip

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Sep 22, 2003
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I've owned 18 and 20 footers. 18's are perfectly happy with a 40. 20's will be fine with a 40 but a 50 is a tad bit better and will add to value at trade-in time. HP on any boat depends on what your performance goals are. Face it, 50 HP is not going to pull water toys regardless what boat it is mounted on. 18 - 20 MPH is going to be the limit on 18 - 20 footers with a light load. But then 18 - 20 foot toons are not designed or intended to be speed demons. As for Bentley toons, they are great and since you fish a lot, the fishing seat in all four corners works well. My last toon was set up that way and it worked great.
 

bruceb58

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The pontoon in my signature has a 90. I wouldn't want anything less. I have it at a high altitude lake so it takes a hit in power but when I had it at a 1000' elevation lake, it was perfect.
 

jkust

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Aug 2, 2008
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The Bentley is fine but prepare yourself for a slow boat to china. I have some friends with a small Bentley on our lake with a 50 and they get 13mph at wot with a light load. The 40 and 50hp varieties of new pontoons are a dime a dozen. I'll mention it is to the point where there are now countless pontoons on the lake as that has become one of the boats of choice. Another set of friends has a nice 23 foot Premier, now four years old with a 115 and they get 21mph winding it out with all she has got. It is hard to get past the physics of pontoons and that it's all about engine size.
 

MH Hawker

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i am a toon guy and the price is way high for a 2008, even if its in s how room condition its around 10,000, not 25,000, keep looking
 

WaterDR

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i am a toon guy and the price is way high for a 2008, even if its in s how room condition its around 10,000, not 25,000, keep looking

He's looking at a brand new pontoon!

It's really hard to know if the price is high or low, but from what I have seen, new 20 foot models with 50s go for about 17 to 20k.

I am currently selling my 2012 24 foot Sylvan with a 115 yamaha on it for not much more than that and it's a WAY more substantial pontoon most likely than what you are looking it.

The 4 extra feet makes a world of difference
 

Merc40hp

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May 19, 2013
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I totally agree with BigDfromTN, go with the biggest engine you can afford. You can always pull it back, slow down and cruise with a with a big engine, but WOT with a 50hp is only going to push a 20' pontoon so fast and it won't take long for you to grow dissatisfied with performance. Especially if your pulling kids on floats or skiers or trying to beat a summer rain shower back to the dock.
 

NH toon

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Feb 26, 2017
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It's actually easy to get past the physics, Its called a 3rd pontoon. I think you can get a better boat for that price, I would buy a used recent model. You can get more hp and strakes for that price on a 2 tube, Or find a little older tri-toon.
 
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